Hinge structure



B. AMMON HINGE STRUCTURE Feb. 1, 1966 Filed June 14, 1963 IN ENTOR BRUNO AMMON,

HIS ATTORNEY.

United States Patent O 3,231,927 HINGE STRUCTURE Bruno Ammon, Decatur, Ill.,assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Filed June 14, 1963, Ser. No. 287,959 7 Claims. 4 (Cl. 16-141) This invention relates t-o means for pivotally supporting one member with respect to another member, and in particular to a hinge structure for controlling pivotal movement of a door of a record -playing apparatus relative to an associated supporting structure.

One form of record playing apparatus which has been put into widespread use is the type of record player wherein the turntable is mounted on the inner surface of a pivoted door. In one such type of player when it is not in use, the pivoted door is positioned in generally vertical disposition to help protect and enclose the turntable mechanism in a housing. When it is desired to use this particular record player, the door pivots trom a vertical to a horizontal position, to thus suitably position the turntable for record playing purposes.

In prior art record playing devices of the nature referred to, considerable difculty has been provided in effectively and economically controlling the pivotal movement of the turntable supporting doors when they are operated between their vertical and horizontal positions. In particular, it has been found that these record playing devices have failed to provide an efficient means -for controllin-g the pivotal movement of the turntable door and/or have required the use of an uneconomical number or type of parts. Accordingly, an important object of my invention is to provide an improved pivotal structure for the door of a device such as a record playing apparatus.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved hinge structure which includes a novel means for controlling the pivotal movement o'f one member relative to another.

An additional object of my invention is to provide an improved hinge structure wherein one member resiliently engages and coacts with another member to effectively control pivotal movement of one of the members with respect to the other.

. A further object of my invention -is to provide a hinge structure -for pivotally supporting a turntable carrying door of a record playing apparatus, which hinge structure is low in cost and very economical to manufacture.

In carrying out my invention, in one `form thereof, I apply it to a housing for a record player of the type wherein the turntable is mounted and supported on the surface of a pivoted door which faces inwardly when the door is closed. The door which supports the turntable is pivotally supported upon the housing by my improved hinge structure. This hinge structure includes a pair of hinge elements which are mounted in opposed relationship on oppositely facing inner walls of the housing, and two pairs of spaced apart and adjacent parallel .pins which extend outwardly from each side of the door, respectively, r.for cooperation with the hinge elements. Each of the hinge elements is constructed from a resilient material and it includes a bearing slot for pivotally supporting one pin of each `associated pair. Each hinge element also includes an elongated arcuate slot spaced radially from the bearing slot and having the same axis of curvature as `the axis of the bearing slot. The other pin of each adjacent pair of pins extends through and is resiliently engaged by the arcuate slot of one of the hinges. With such an arrangement, one pin on each side of the door pivots within a bearing slot of an associated hinge element, and the other adjacent pin on each side of the door rides within its associated arcuate slot t-o effectively conrice trol the pivotal movement of the door with respect to the rest of the housing. Each hinge element also includes a relief means for gradually varying the resistance of the arcuate slot to movement of its associated pin. By means of resilient hinge elements and their co-operativc arrangement with respect to t-Wo pairs of pins, a simplied, economical, and expeditious means has thus been provided for pivotally supporting and controlling the movement of vthe door of a record player with respect to the record player housing.

Further aspects of my invention will become apparent hereinafter, and the specication concludes with claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the snbject matter which I regard as my invention. The 1nvention, as to organization and method of operation, together with vfurther objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a record player embodying one 'form of my invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view taken from FIG. l, to show one of the hinge elements and its mode of cooperation with a pair 4of pins, in accordance with the teaching of my invention;

FIG. 3 is a `sectional View taken generally along the line 3 3 of FIG. 2j

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken generally along the line 4 4 of FIG. 3, and showing the layout of the slots in the hinge elements, together with the relative pin 'positions, when the record player door is open; and

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4, but showing the position of a pin in the arcuate slot of the hinge element when the record player door is closed.

Referring in detail to the drawing, .and in particular k to FIG. 1, there is shown a phonograph 10 comprising -a Ihousing 12, and a platform-door 14 which is pivotally supported on housing 12, and a record player 16 mounted on the inner side 18 of platform-door 14. The record player 16 includes a frame 22 mounted on the inner side of door 14, and a turntable 24 carried upon trame 22. For centering records and positioning them in the desired relationship With turntable 24, a spindle 26 is extended upwardly from turntable 24 in the usual manner.

The record player 16 shown is an automatic record changer type, and employs a record balancing arm 28. The `arm 28 is arranged in general parallel to the turntable 24, and it is carried by attachment of its rear end 30 to a vertical post member 32. Post member 32 is rotatably journalled and may be raised and lowered in the usual fashion. The balancing arm 28 is thus arranged on the record player 116 so that it may be raised and lowered, and is swingable sideways from its raised position for loading records on the spindle 26. More particularly, for loading records on the spindle 26, the balancing arm 28 may be raised and swung angularly from a position wherein -its free end generally overlies the spindle 26 to a position wherein its free end is adjacent to but spaced laterally `outwardly lfrom the periphery of -a record which is to be loaded. The balancing arm 28 may then -be located in a detented position to allow clearance vfor a record to be loaded upon spindle 26.

A tone arm 34 is located alongside of and above turntable 24, and is provided with a pivotal support near its rear end 36, in the well knownmanner. The arm 34 is pivotally supported so that vertical and horizontal movement is permitted and a pickup stylus or needle (not shown) located at the free end of the arm 34 can engage and reproduce sound signals from the groove of a phonograph record placed in playing position on the turntable 24.

From viewing FIG. 1, and the above discussion, it will be understood that the record player 16, together with its associated mechanism, is supported upon platform door 14 of the yhousing 12. The housingy 12 includes a rectangular or box shaped casing 38, having top and bottom walls 40, 42, side walls 44, 46, open -front wall 48, and rear wall 50. The platform-door 14 is pivotally supported on the inner surfaces of the vertical side walls 44, 46 and is movable from an upright closed position (not shown) wherein it closes the open front Wall 48, to a horizontal open position (shown in FIG. l) wherein records may `be played on the turntable y24.

Turning now to an important aspect of the present invention, which is the provision of a novel and improved means for pivotally supporting and controlling the movement ofthe platform-door 14 in the phonograph housing 12, attention is directed to FIGS. -2 and 4. In accordance with the present invention, on the inner surface of each ofthe side walls 44 and 46'of housing 12, there is secured a hinge element 52. The hinge elements 52 are disposed near to but spaced rearwardly from the open front wall 48. As further shown in FIG. 1, the hinge elements 52are in opposed relationship. Each hinge element 52 is preferably molded `from a polyamide resin or acetal resin material, but also may be formed from other ther-moplastic materials. The periphery of element 52 includes a curved corner 54, upper side 56 and rear side 58 which extend radially outwardly in divergent fashion from corner S4 (as shown in FIG. 2) and substantially arcuate diagonal surface 60 `which connects the outermost (i.e. most divergent) sides 56 and 58 to each other. As further shown in FIG. 4, the inner face 62 of -hinge element 52 is of smooth construction. The other or outer face 64 of hinge element 52 is recessed, as indicated by the dotted lines of FIG. 5, and the gaps 166 of FIG. 3, to provide the desired thickness of the hinge element at the slot 70. Such an arrangement also effects an overall economy in the amount of molded material required for each hinge.

As further shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, there is formed in hinge element 52, a bearing aperture 68 of cylindrical configuration, and an elongated arcuate slot 70. The longitudinal axis of the arcuate slot 70 is an arc of a circle spaced radially from the axis of the bearing aperture 68. It will ybe further noted from FIGS. 4 and 5 that the arcuate slot 70 extends through an angle of approximately 90 degrees. Between the ends of arcuate slot 70, the curved surfaces 72 and 74 thereof are spaced apart in substantial uniformity, except lfor a portion of slot 70 near the bottom thereof (viewing FIGS. 4 and More particularly, the radius of curvature of curved surface 72 of the slot 70 minus the radius of curvature of curved surface 74 is substantially uniform between the ends 72a, 72b and 74a, '74h of these surfaces, except for a portion of slot 70 near ends 72b, 74b. At the upper end of the arcuate slot 70 there is formed an enlarged upper seat 76. Seat 76 includes two opposed cylindrical surfaces 76a and 76b which have their axis of curvature on the longitudinal axis of slot 70. From the upper ends of surfaces 76a and 76b, there is formed an upper extension 78 of slot 70. Extension 78 has its curved sides spaced closer together than curved surfaces 72 and 74, and helps to encourage and facilitate resilient operation of the hinge element `52, as shall be further set forth hereinafter.

The lower end of the arcuate lot 70 has its opposed surfaces curved toward the longitudinal axis of the slot, as shown in FIG. 5, to form a seat 80. From seat 80 there is formed a lower extension 82 of slot 70. Extension 82 has its curved sides spaced closer together than curved surfaces 72 and 74 to help encourage and facilitate resilient operation of the hinge element 52 in a manner similar to that set forth for extension 78.

To enable the hinge elements 52 of the phonograph housing 12 to pivotally support and control the movement of the platform-door 14, as shown by way of example in the exploded perspective view of FIG. 2, each of the hinge elements 52 is secured to the inner surface of one of the side walls 44, 46 of housing 12, by means of screws 84 which are extended through apertures 86 of each of the hinge elements 52, and threaded into engagement with the walls 44, 46.

The platform-door 14, which carries the turntable, has a pair of opposed side walls 88 and 90 (FIG. l) which extend through the open lfront wall 48 of housing 12 andare in adjacent parallelism respectively to the inner surfaces of the housing walls 44 and 46. On each of the walls 88 and 90 of the door 14 there is secured a bracket 92. This bracket 92 is secured to an inner side of the walls 88 and 90 by .screws 94 which extend through apertures 96. As further shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, there are two pins 98 and 99 extended through and secured to each bracket 92. Each of the pins 98 and 99 also includes a bushing portion 101 disposed in the wall 88 or 90. The outer portion 100 of each pin 98, 99 projects laterally outwardly from the wall 88 or 90 and has a cylindrical configuration.

The pins 98, 99 are arranged on their brackets 92, in parallel relationship, and are extended through walls 88, 90, as shown in FIG. 3. In addition, the axes of the pins for each bracket are spaced apart by a dimension substantially equivalent to the radius of curvature of the longitudinal axis of the arcuate slot 70.

As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, the smooth cylindrical outer portion 100 of pin 98 for each of the brackets extends into cooperative engagement with bearing aperture 68 of the associated hinge element 52, to provide a pivotal support for each side of the platform door 14. The outer portion 100 of the pin 99 extends into cooperative engagement with the arcuate slot 70, to provide a means for controlling the pivotal movement of each side of door 14.

Since the door 14 supports the turntable and its associated phonograph elements, the weight imposed upon the movable door 14 is considerable. It is, therefore, advantageous to provide a counterbalancing effect for controlling the movement of door 14 with respect to the relatively stationary lhinge elements 52. To enable the hinge elements 52 to achieve such an effect, as shown in FIGS. 2, 4 and 5, there is an arcuate slot 102 of shorter length than slot which is arranged near the latter slot. More particularly, slot 102 is generally parallel to slot 70, and extends through an angle of less than degrees from the horizontal, as shown in FIG. 4. The slot 102 comprises a pair of spaced apart and parallel cylindrical surfaces 104, 106 (FIG. 4) which are, in general, uniformly spaced apart, and are formed about an axis of rotation located a small increment higher than the axis of rotation of the arcuate slot 70 (viewing FIG. 4). Thus, as further shown in FIG. 4, the upper end portions of cylindrical surfaces 104, 106 (which are located near seat '76) are disposed closer to cylindrical wall 74a of the slot '70, than the lower end portions of cylindrical surfaces 104, 106 are spaced from wall 74. This arrangement provides a wall or rib 108 of progressively variant thickness or radial depth, between arcuate slots 70 and 102. Since the minimum thickness of rib 108 is near seat 76, and the maximum thickness of rib 108 is near to the bottom of arcuate slot 70 and progressively variant therebetween, the rib 108 has a minimum resistance to flexion near .seat 76, a maximum resistance to flexion (with respect to rib 108) near the bottom of slot 70, and a substantially progressively increasing resistance to exion between the top and bottom of the rib 108.

Turning now to a detailed discussion of the mode of operation of the improved hinge arrangement of the present invention, attention is directed to FIGS. 1, 4 and 5. When the platform-door 14 of the phonograph 10 is disposed in its`closed position (not shown), it is generally vertical (viewing FIG. 1) and the record player 16 is completely enclosed in the phonograph housing 12. With the door 14 in this position, outer portion 100 of each pin 99 is ensconced in seat 76 (FIG. 4) of its associated hinge element and held there or detented into that position by a relatively light rfrictional pressure exerted upon the cylindrical surface of `outer portion 100 by cylindrical surfaces 76a, 76h of lthe seat 76 (FIG. 4). (See also FIG. 5.) The door 14 is thus detented into a closed position by engagement of hinge seats 76 with pins 99.

When the operator begins to open the platform door 14 of the phonograph 10, the outer cylindrical portion 100 of pins 98 thereupon rotates within its associated bearing slot 68.A As a pulling-out force is exerted upon the upper part of the door 14 (i.e.` the outermost part, viewing FIG. l) the cylindrical portion 100 of the pins 99 on each side of door 14 flexes the surfaces 72a, 74a outwardly and away from each other so that they gradually part in resilient fashion and allow the cylindrical portion 100 to approach bottom seat 80 of slot 70. As the cylindrical portion 100 of each pin 99 is curving downwardly and to the right from the position wherein it is shown in FIG. 5 to the position wherein it is shown in FIG. 4, the surfaces 72, 74 of each arcuate slot L70 resiliently flex, to allow these surfaces to impart the'rdesired frictional resistance to the movement of the door 14. Because of the gradually increasing thickness of the rib 108, during movement of the door 14 from the closed to the open position (FIG. 1) a gradually increasing frictional resistance is exerted upon the pins 99 during movement thereof through an angle of approximately 70 degrees from the horizontal (indicated by the dotted radial line in FIG. 5). The walls 72, '74 diverge slightly just before they reach the bottom seating surfaces 72b, 74b. The pins 99 are therefore provided with a gradually diminishing frictional resistance between the 70 degree position and their bottom seated position (FIG. 4), (i.e. through an .angle of degrees) to facilitate easy operation ofthe door near its bottom portion of travel.

When it is desired to close the door 14 from its open position, it is, of course, necessary to swing the pins 99 in a clockwise direction of rotation (viewing FIG. 4) from their lowermost position to a horizontal position (relative to their associated pins 98). During this movement, a reverse operation occurs, and a relatively small frictional resistance is initially provided by the surfaces 72, 74. The surfaces 72, 74 then provide a gradually increasing frictional resistance for pins 99 until they have reached a position spaced 20 degrees from their bottom position. For the remaining 70 degrees of movement the slot 70 provides a gradually diminishing frictional resistance until the pins 99 have been returned to seats '76. The door 14 is then closed.

As further shown in FIG. 2, a cut 110 is provided in surface 69 of each hinge element 52. Cut 110, in the illustrated structure, lowers the initial frictional resistance of slot '70-near seat 76 even further, thereby assuring easy opening for door 14 when it is closed.

t It will now, therefore, be understood that I have provided an improved hinge arrangement of novel structure which readily lends itself to use in a phonograph. It is also contemplated that my novel hinge structure may ibe effectively utilized in other devices for the purpose of pivotally supporting one member with respect to another and also controlling the pivotal movement of the one member. It will be further understood that my improved hinge arrangement involves a minimum expense, since it represents a very simplified construction.

While in accordance with the patent statutes, I have described what at present is considered to be the preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein Without departing from my invention, and I, therefore, aim in the following claims to cover all such equivalent variations as fall within the true spirit and scope of this invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

, 1. Means for pivotally supporting one member upon another member, said means comprising at least one hinge secured to one of the members and a pin secured to the other of said members, said hinge being -constructed of resilient thermoplastic material and having an elongated'arouate slot formed therein, said pin extending through said slot, and means for enabling opposed arcuate walls of said slot to resiliently engage the pin and provide a progressively variant resilient flexion for controlling pivoting movement of the members relative to each other.

2. Means for pivotally supporting one member upon another member, said one member including a pair of spaced apart opposed walls, and said other member including a pair of walls disposed in proximate relationship respectively to thewalls of said first mentioned member, a pair of hinges secured respectively to the walls of one of the members, and a pair of pins secured respectively to the walls of the other member, each said hinge being of unitary resilient thermoplastic construction and having an arcuate slot formed therein, each said pin extending throughand slidable within an associated slot, and means for enabling opposed arcuate walls of each of the slots to resiliently engage an associated pin land provide a progressively variant resilient flexion for controlling the pivoting movement of the members relative to each other.

3. For pivotally supporting one member upon another member, a hinge means -comprising at least one element of resilient thermoplastic material secured to one of said members and a pin secured to the other of said members, said one element having an elongated arcuate slot formed therein for receiving said pin, and means for enabling Aopposed arcuate walls of said slot to resiliently engage the pin and provide a progressively variant resilient flexion for controlling pivoting movement of at least one of the members relative to the other.

4. The arrangement of claim 3 wherein the element is of polyamide resin material.

5. In a record playing apparatus of the type wherein a pivoted door supports 'a turntable, an improved hinge structure for pivotally supporting the door in a stationary enclosure, said hinge strulcture comprising at least one hinge element secured to said enclosure, and a pair of spaced apart parallel pins secured to and extending toutwardly from said door, said hinge element being of resilient thermoplastic material and including a cylindrical bearing aperture and an elongated arcuate slot concentric to said bearing aperture, one of said pins extending linto and cooperating with aperture thereby to provide a pivotal supporting means fior said door on said stationary enclosure, the other said pins extending into and coop erating with said arcuate slot, said slot being dimensioned relative to said last mentioned pin so that the pin is slidable within the slot but is resiliently engaged by opposed walls of said slot to provide a progressively variant resilient flexion for controlling pivoting movement of the door in the stationary enclosure.

6. In a record playing apparatus of the type wherein a pivoted door supports a Iturntable, an improved hinge structure for pivotally supporting the door in a stationary enclosure, said hinge structure `comprising at least one hinge element secured to said enclosure, and a pair of spaced 'apart parallel pins secured to and extending outwardly from said door, said hinge element being of resilient thermoplastic material and including a cylindrical bearing aperture and an elongated arcuate slot concentric to said bearing aperture, one of said pins extending into and cooperating fwith said aperture thereby to provide a pivotal supporting means for said door on said stationary enclosure, the other of said pins extending into and oooperating with said arcuate slot, said slot being dimensioned relative to said ylast mentioned lpin so that the pin is slidable within the slot but is resiliently engaged by opposed walls of said slot thereby to control pivoting movement of the door in the stationary enclosure, said arcuate slot including at least one walll portion of variable thickness to provide a substantially progressively variant resilient flexion of said Wall portion with respect to its associated pin during at least part of the movement orf said door.

7. In a record playing apparatus of the type wherein a pivoted door supports a turntable, 'an improved hinge structure for pivotally supporting the door in a stationary enclosure, said hinge structure ycomprising at lle'ast one hinge element secured to said enclosure, and a pair of spaced apart parallel pins secured to and extending outwardly from said door, said hinge element being of resilient thermoplastic material and including a cylindrical bearing aperture, said hinge element also including an elongated rst arcuate slot 'concentric to said bearing aperture and a second arcuate slot in nonconcentric relation to said bearing aperture, one of said pins extending into and cooperating with said Iaperture thereby to provide a pivotal supporting means for said door on said stationary enclosure, the other of said pins extending into and cooperating with said rst arcuate slot, said slot being dimensioned relative to said last mentioned pin so that the pin is slidable within the slot but is resiliently engaged by opposed walls of said slot thereby to control Ipivoting movement of the door in the stationary enclosure, said arcuate slot including at least one wall portion of variable thickness to provide a substantially progressively variant resilient ilexion of said Wall portion with respect to its associated pin during at least part of lthe movement of said door, said second arcuate slot being arranged in proximity to the rst ymentioned arcuate slot to provide progressively variant exion orf said tirst mentioned slot in response to movement of the associated pin therein.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 528,719 11/1894 Fuchs 16-191 632,329 9/1899 Teakle 16-141 1,555,896 10/1925 Webster 16-141 X 2,337,350 12/1943 Ryals. 2,398,696 4/1946 Colegrove 312-28 X 2,642,327 6/1953 Swanson 312-8 3,065,498 11/1962 Johnson 16-191 X 3,096,539 7/1963 Dickinson et al. 16-151 X JOSEPH D. SEI-ERS, Primary Examiner.

DONLEY I. STOCKING, Examiner.

J. G. GILFILLAN, D. GRIFFIN, Assistant Examiners. 

1. MEANS FOR PIVOTALLY SUPPORTING ONE MEMBER UPON ANOTHER MEMBER, SAID MEANS COMPRISING AT LEAST ONE HINGE SECURED TO ONE OF THE MEMBERS AND A PIN SECURED TO THE OTHER OF SAID MEMBERS, SAID HINGE BEING CONSTRUCTED OF RESILIENT THERMOPLASTIC MATERIAL AND HAVING AN ELONGATED ARCUATE SLOT FORMED THEREIN, SAID PIN EXTENDING THROUGH SAID SLOT, AND MEANS FOR ENABLING OPPOSED ARCUATE WALLS OF SAID SLOT TO RESILIENTLY ENGAGE THE PIN AND PRO- 